Mud fest tests inner strength of riders at PMB MTB Festival XCO

[News bot]

Austrian National Champion Gregor Raggl (Haibike Otzal Pro Team) and Mariske Strauss (Novus OMX Pro Team) claimed top honours in the Elite races and German Alexander Bunn (Team Firebike Drossiger) and Danielle Strydom (Swiss Cycles) claimed top honours in the Junior races, raking in the highest UCI points on offer at the rain-soaked second annual Pietermaritzburg MTB Festival at Cascades MTB Park in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday 30 April. Temperatures plummeted into the single digits as lycra-clad cyclists bravely took to the start line of the UCI HC (Hors Categorie) event, which carries a heavier UCI-point rating than the Category 1 and 2 events held in the Stihl 2016 SA National XCO Cup Series.

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[Fisan]

 

 

 

Hold up. When did carbon-spoked MTB wheels make a comeback? I saw some at the Cairns XCO livestream as well. Pretty insane:

 

"...wheels are still just rated for XC, Marathons, and regular trail riding. With the move to 27mm wide rims for better low tire pressure handling and still using Bike Ahead’s standard hookless tubeless-friendly bead, the RS wheelset... ... weigh 1100g (2.43lb) for the 27.5″ versions and 1189g (2.62lb) for 29ers, all for 3300€. "

[King_Crispy]

The weather was really *** today. Good effort put in by these racers.

[RyanD]

I rode the course on Friday in the heat. Loose over hard conditions. I thought it was the most technical course I had ever ridden. The climbs were brutal and the decents were so challenging. I cannot imagine going out there in the wet. I was a spectator on Saturday. Much respect to the racers!